Operating mechanism for lifting jacks



1,623,108 April 5 1927 F. L. GoRMLEY OPERATING MECHANISM FOR'LIFTINGJACKS Filed Aug. l0. 1925 Invenlor.' ham .L-

Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. GORIVLEY, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO'THE BUDACOM- PANY, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION'OF ILLINOIS.

UPERATING MECHANIFSM FOR LIFTIN G JACKS.

Application filed August 10, 1925.

This invention relates to operating mechanism for lifting jacks, oneobject of the invent-ion being to provide a sure grip upon the drivingshaft while another object is the provision of means for changing theposition of the pawl coacting with the ratchet upon said shaft, in orderto reverse the motion of said driving shaft.

These objects are attained by the mecha nism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred formthereof is shown in the drawings, this form having been found to givesatisfactory and reliable results, though it is to be understood thatthe various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can bevariously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limitedto the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities asherein shown and described, except as required by the scope of theappended claims.

Of the dra-wings;

Fig. 1 represents a horizontal section of an operating mechanismembodying the principles of the present invention, the cutting planebeing on line 1, 1, on Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same on line 2, 2, on Fig.1, and

Fig. 3 represents an elevation of the plate keyed to the pawl pin.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures ofthe drawing.

In the drawings, is the driving shaft of any well known construction ofscrew type lifting jack, this shaft having a fiat sided portion 11 onwhich is mounted a ratchet 12.

The outer end of the shaft 10 has a portion 13, reduced in diameter andextending through one wall 14 of a bifurcated socket casing 15, theopposite wall 16 of which has a bearing 17 therein for the shaft 10. Thecasing is retained upon the shaft 10 by means of the pin 13X extendingthrough the reduced end 13.

The casing 15 is provided with a socket 18 for the reception of one endof an operating lever or handle 19 by which said casing 15 may be movedabout the axis of the shaft 10.

The walls 14, 16 are provided with bearings for the pin 2O having keyedthereto the Serial No. 49,268.

double-ended pawl 21, the teeth 22 of which are adapted to engage withthe teeth 23 of the ratchet 12.

One end of the pin has secured thereto the wing nut 24 by which the pawl21 may be moved through an angle of 90O to remove one set of teeth 22from engagement with the teeth 23 of the ratchet 12 and bring anotherset of teeth 22 into engagement therewith.

Each set of teeth 22 on the pawl 21 are formed on the arc of a circleconforming to the are of the teeth 28, sothat when a set of teeth 22 isin engagement with the teeth 23, each of the four teeth thereof isfirmly seated between the teeth of the ratchet so that it would beimpossible for the teeth 22, 23 to become disengaged while the .lever 19is moving in the direction of the arrow a on Fig. 2 of the drawing.

lVhen the pawl 21 is in the yposition for lowering load as indicated inFig. 2, the tendency is to move the lratchet -12 in the direction of thearrow Z) on Fig. 2 and in such a case the teeth 23 cannot pass the linebetween the axes of shaft 10 and pawl pin 20 without greatly separatingthese axes, which separation the construction of the operating mechanismdoes not permit.

Obviously when the elements are in the position indicated in Fig. 2, thegreater the .st-rain applied to the lever 19 in the direction of arrowci, the tighter will the pawl 21 be held in contact with the ratchet 12,the tendency being during such upward movement to force the teeth of thepawl 2l toward th-e axis of the shaft 10.

It is quite evident therefore that this construction of pawl and ratchetproduces a sure and positive grip which will eifectually prevent anyaccidental slipping.

lThe casing 15 is provided with a` knob 25 by which the mechanism may beoperated withoutthe lever 19, moving the casing 15 about the axis ofshaft 1'0 by means of short strokes when the j ack is to be operatedwithout any load thereon.

This const-ruction is particularly desirable when working in closequarters.

The pawl 21 is provided with a key 26 extending into a slot 27 in thepawl pin 20.

The pin 20 has a reduced end 28 extending through a flat head 29 havinga slot 30 therein into which extends a key 31 projecting from thereduced end 28 which is CII upset as at 32 to prevent the displacementof the head 29.

By means of this construction the pin 20, pawl 2l, Aflat head 29, andwing nut 24e all rotate together about the axis of said pin 20.

lhe inner face of the flat head 29 is provided with the depressions 33having inclined walls into which extend the pointed ends of plungers 34,positioned in sockets in the easing 15 and forced outwardly by thesprings 36.

For convenience7 in illustrating, four depressions 33 are shown in thehead 29 with two plungers 34' in the casing l5, these plungersregistering with two of the depressions 38 when the pawl 21 is in theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and with the other twodepressions when said pawl is in the position indicated by dotted linesin said figure.

The tension of the springs 36 is suiiicient to retain the pawl 2l inadjusted posit-ion.

lVhen the teeth 22 of the pawl 2l are passing over the teeth 23 of theratchet l2 these plungers 34 are operating in the depressions 33 and asa consequence there is always a spring tension on the teeth of the pawlas each tooth thereof passes from one tooth of the ratchet to anothertooth.

rllhe casing l5 is made open at one end which end is closed by thecurved plate 37 held in position by the ears 8S extending thereover fromthe casing l5.

`ne ratchet l2 and pawl 2l are assembled in the` casing l5 before theplate 37 is positioned and the entire interior ot the casing issubsequently filled with heavy grease.

rihis closing plate 37 prevents the admission of dirt to the interior ofthe casing.

Ythis operating mechanism is simple in construction, but veryetfective-when in use.

It believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention willbe apparent without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim;

l. rthe combination of a driving shaft; a ratchet secured thereto havingil-shaped teeth; a vcasing movable about the axis of said shaft; a pawlwholly enclosed within said easing having a plurality of V-shaped teethin a curved plane and all adapted to lit the teeth of said ratchet; apin mounted in the walls of said casing to which said pawl is keyed; andmeans on the outer end of said pin whereby said pin may he oscillated.

2. The combination of a driving shaft; an actuating ratchet thereforsecured thereto; a casing straddling said shaft and movable about itsaxis; a double-ended pawl pivotally mounted in said easing, each end of.said pawl having a plurality of teeth in a curved plane and all adaptedto it the teeth of said ratchet, said pawl being wholly enclosed withinsaid casing; means extending through one side wall of said casingwhereby said pawl may be moved about its pivot7 said means including anoscillating pin; and means within the opposite side of said casingcoacting with said pin for retaining said pawl in adjusted position butpermitting the pawl to pass the ratchet teeth on its return movement.

3. The combination of a driving shaft; an actuating ratchet thereforsecured thereto; a closed casing movable about the axis of said shaft,said casing having parallel side walls provided with bearings for saidshaft on opposite sides of said ratchet; a double-ended pawl whollyenclosed within said easing adapted to engage said ratchet; a pinextending laterally through one wall of said casing' and to which saidpawl is keyed; means on the outer end of said pin whereby it may beoscillated; and yielding means at the other end of said pin andseparated from said pawl for retaining the pawl in adjusted position.

d. The combination of a driving shaft; an actuating ratchet theretorsecured thereto; a closed casing provided with means for moving it aboutthe axis of said shaft; a pawl wholly enclosed within said casingcoacting with said ratchet; a pin extendingl through one wall of saidcasingy and to which said pawl is lreyed; means on the outer end of saidpin whereby it may he oscillated; a plate disposed in a recess in theouter face ot' the casing and secured to the opposite end of said pinhaving detente in its inner face; and means within sockets formed in thewall of said casing coacting with said detents for locking sald pawl inadjusted position.

5. The combination of a driving shaft; an actuating ratchet thereforsecured thereto; a closed casing provided with means for moving it aboutthe axis of said shaft and having bearings on said shaft on oppositesides of said ratchet; a pawl wholly enclosed Within said casingcoacting with said ratchet; a pin to which said pawl secured; meansmovable independently of said casing actuating means secured to one endof said pin for oscillating it; a plate disposed in a recess in theouter face of the casing and secured to the opposite end of said pin;and yielding means within sockets formed in the casing coacting withsaidplate for locking said pawl in adjusted position.

6. The combination of a driving shaft; an actuating ratchet thereforsecured thereto; a casing provided with means for moving it about theaxis of said shaft; a double ended pawl within said casing secured to anoscillating pin and having a set of teeth on each end thereof; means atone side of said casing for moving either set of pawl teeth lllll intoengagement with said ratchet, said pa-Wl-moving means being operableindependently of said casing actuating means; and automatic means Withinrecesses in the outer face of said casing and at one end of the paWl pinfor locking said paivl in adjusted position.

7. The combination of a driving shaft; a ratchet secured thereto; acasing movable about the axis of said shaft; a pin mounted in bearingsin the walls of said casing; a wing nut on one end of said pin; adoubleended pawl keyed to said pin and having a set of teeth at each end;either set of which is adapted to be brought into engagement with saidratchet; and means at the opposite end of said pin for retaining saidpawl in adjusted position.

8. The combination of a driving shaft; a ratchet secured thereto; acasing movable about the axis of said shaft; a pin mounted in bearingsin the Walls of said casing; means for oscillating said pin positionedat one end thereof; a double-ended pawl keyed to said pin and adapted tocoact With said ratchet; a disk keyed to the opposite end of said pinWithin a recess in the outer face of the casing; and means on saidcasing coacting with said disk to retain said pawl in adjusted position.

l). The combination of a driving'shaft; a ratchet secured thereto; aeasing movable about the axis of said shaft; a pin mounted in bearingsin the Walls of said casing; means at o-ne end of said pin foroscillating it; a double ended pawl secured to said pin and having a setof ratchet engaging teeth at each end; a disk keyed to the opposite endof said pin and having detents on its inner face; and spring pressedmembers on said casing having cone shaped ends coacting with saiddetents.

l0. The combination of a driving shaft; a ratchet secured thereto; acasing movable about the axis of said shaft; a pin mounted in bearingsin the Walls of said casing; means at one end of said pin foroscillating` it; a double ended pawl secured to said pin and having aset of ratchet engaging teeth at each end; a disk keyed to the oppositeend of said pin and having cone shaped depressions on its inner face;and spring pressed members on said casing having cone shaped endsextending into said cone-shaped depressions.

ll. The combination of a driving shaft having a flat-sided portion andcylindrical portions on opposite sides thereof; a ratchet securelymounted upon said flat-sided portion; a casing having bearings on saidcylindrical portions and provided With means for moving it about theaxis of said shaft; a double ended paWl Within said casing each endhaving a set of teeth adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchetsimultaneously; means at one side of the casing for oscillating saidpawl to bring either set of teeth into action; and means Within saidcasing on the opposite side of the paivl for retaining it in adjustedposition but permitting the pawl to pass the ratchet teeth on its returnmovement.

12. The combination of a driving shaft; an actuating ratchet thereforsecured thereto; a casing provided with means for mov-Y ing it about theaxis of said shaft and having a chamber therein to receive said ratchet;a double ended pawl disposed in said chamber; an oscillatingpin to Whichsaid pawl is keyed and extending through one wall of said casing; meansat the outer end of said pin for oscillating it to bring either end ofsaid pawl into engagement with the ratchet teeth; means at the other endof th' pin for retaining said pawl in adjusted position; and a closingplate for said chamber concentric to the axis of said shaft.

13. The combination of a driving shaft; a ratchet secured thereto havingV-shaped teeth; a casing having a chamber formed therein with parallelside Walls provided with bearings for said shaft; a semi-cylindricalplate secured to said side Walls and closing said chamber; a pawl Withinthe inner end of said chamber having a plurality of V-shaped teeth in acurved plane and all adapted to lit the teeth of said ratchet; a pinmounted in the Walls of said casing to which said pawl is keyed; andmeans on the outer end of said pin whereby said pin may be oscillated.

Signed by me at Harvey (Chicago suburb); Illinois, this 4th day ofAugust7 1925.

FRANK L. GORMLEY.

